Title:‘One story of cancer in the world is one too many’

Georgetown alumna prepares for her fourth BellRinger Ride

In August 2022, as Patricia “Tricia” (B’89) and Michael (B’89) Wrotniak (Parents’12,’18,’26) dropped off their youngest child for her first year at Georgetown, they were filled with emotions. Driving away from the Hilltop, Tricia saw a large banner advertising Georgetown University’s inaugural bike ride to end cancer—BellRinger. She thought about her father, Peter Primomo (D’58, Parent’83,’89), who had recently died from a rare form of cancer in his small intestine. The banner seemed like a message from him.

In that moment, she decided that through BellRinger she would stay involved with Georgetown, help cancer patients, and—as a bonus—visit her daughter on the Hilltop every fall.

BellRinger brings together Riders, volunteers, partners, donors, and supporters to help eradicate cancer by raising funds for Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of only 57 recognized comprehensive cancer centers by the National Cancer Institute. The Ride begins at the Hilltop Campus with options to choose routes with different fundraising goals; it also includes virtual rides. Since 2022, the BellRinger community has raised over $4.7 million for groundbreaking cancer research and care.

“My dad adored all his grandchildren, but he had a special place in his heart for our youngest,” says Tricia. “When I saw that banner I was like, that’s my dad talking to me, saying ‘you’ve got to do this ride.’”

A win-win

In 2022, Tricia drove down from Mount Vernon, New York, for BellRinger’s Inaugural Ride and rode 25 miles with her nephew, Thomas Lenz (B’18), and continued to ride every year since. Her husband, Michael, joined her in 2024 for riding 50 miles, even as he was recovering from knee replacement surgery.

Tricia and Michael met during their junior year at Georgetown at the business school and eventually married at Dahlgren Chapel. Riding for BellRinger is one of the many Georgetown memories they share.

“BellRinger is a win-win because it’s a great community experience. You get to be a part of something greater than yourself and help the effort to fight cancer,” says Tricia. “And I love Georgetown so there’s no downside for me.”

Tricia is signed up for her fourth ride in BellRinger this year on Oct. 24-25 as part of Team Dynamite. The team name comes from her and her nephew’s initials, T and T (TNT).

“After the first year, I knew I was going to keep doing it,” says Tricia. “My goal is to keep riding as many years as I can, even if I have to do it as a virtual rider.”

More than a Ride

The Jesuit value that resonates most with Tricia is “people for others,” which she keeps front of mind as she gives her time, spreads awareness, and raises funds that support cancer research.

“We’ve all been touched by cancer to some extent. Some people’s stories are much more traumatic than others, but even one story of cancer in the world is one too many,” says Tricia.

“I’m in decent shape and I have chosen the 25-mile ride each year. It’s not as intimidating as people think,” Tricia notes. “The BellRinger website makes it very easy to get information on everything from fundraising to renting a bike.”

Tricia has leveraged her network and her social media to spread awareness about her participation in BellRinger and her fundraising efforts. She realized through this process that everyone has a connection to cancer, and the ways to spread the word about this cause are endless.

Coming together as a community

On Friday night before the Ride, participants attend an Opening Ceremony celebration to commemorate their efforts over the last year. Once Riders cross the finish line on Saturday, they join volunteers and hundreds of supporters over food, music, and even complimentary massages.

Over the years, Tricia has met and heard from many people whose lives were affected by cancer: a mother who survived cancer during pregnancy, a father who lost a son to cancer and put a team together of his son’s friends, and many others who came together to help eradicate the disease through BellRinger.

Cancer has touched Tricia’s life more than once. In addition to her father, her cousin, Catherine Sheer Britton (N’76, Parent’04), passed away at the age of 48 from esophageal cancer. Judy Lerer, the wife of Michael’s business partner, lost a long battle with brain cancer in 2024.

“BellRinger honors everybody who is suffering and has suffered,” says Tricia. “When my husband rode 50 miles and got off the bike, he was exhausted emotionally and mentally, but it was a big release for him. He really feels like he rode for Judy. She’s not even a direct family member, but that doesn’t matter—you just want to make a difference in the world of cancer. If we can’t eradicate it completely, we can help make people living with it live longer and have better treatments.”

Tricia would like to see even more members of the Georgetown community get involved.

“If you don’t have the means to travel to Georgetown, get a group of people together and do it virtually,” says Tricia. “Even from your home you can join the fight against cancer. No matter how you choose to ride, I encourage everyone to get out there and ride for this great cause.”

Follow along with Tricia’s fundraising progress at her page >

More information on how to register to Ride, volunteer, or donate to BellRinger can be found at bellringer.org >